Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have happened)
by AlbusSeverusP0tter
Summary: My vision for CC:As Albus Potter arrives at school, the wizarding world begins to see threats that they haven't had to face in a long time. Harry must team up with the most unlikely ally as the events begin to unfold. At Hogwarts, the students and staff see that once again, the school is the focal point for something much bigger. (NO SPOILERS FOR ACTUAL CURSED CHILD BOOK)
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)**

 **So this is my first ever fanfiction. I was inspired to do it based on how wrong and blasphemous the cursed child actually was. I have had an amazing idea for the plot of an Albus Severus Potter centered HP book/Fanfic since at least two years before "The Cursed Child" was announced, but I've never, until now, had the balls to do it, since it gets kinda dark later. I will be taking things from the 7 Harry Potter books and stuff JK has written since the end of the last book, and applying them to this story in ways that actually make sense. Fair warning, I am a huge fanboy, so I'm totally putting in easter eggs and fan theories. I hope you enjoy! I will try and put up new chapters every couple of weeks. Please keep in mind that this is a fanfic. I will try to get everything as accurate as I can (except for the bullshit storyline that I am fixing), but I can, and will change things, and can, and will make mistakes.**

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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 **CHAPTER 1**

 **ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER GAZED out the window of the Hogwarts Express, watching the city speed by, slowly changing into endless green fields. He was both excited and slightly worried. As his siblings and cousins and their friends danced around him, he was replaying his father's words in his head.**

 **"The sorting hat takes your choice into account"**

 **But he didn't know what he wanted to choose. Hufflepuff was a probable choice, because he did not feel brave, like Gryphindor, or brainy, like Ravenclaw. But there was also slytherin. While they were still rivals with Gryffindor, It had been reported that, for the most part, they were over all the awful "pure blood and mudblood" stuff, and that they weren't so bad anymore.**

 **"Slytherin will have gained a great wizard".**

 **Albus smiled ruefully. He hadn't even done any magic yet. How could he be great? In his mind, he imagined his vision of a great wizard. A handsome boy, with a winning personality and great potential stepping confidently up to the sorting hat. The hat was lowered onto the boys head, and immediately shouted "Slytherin"!**

 **"Albus, what's up?" Asked Rose, his cousin, peering at him.**

 **"What? Oh, nothing, just- just daydreaming, is all" replied Albus. Rose shrugged and turned away.**

 **Curiously, Albus found that the daydream, which felt more like a memory, had eased what little remaining fear he had of the sorting ceremony. He was a first year, who was nothing like the boy he had just imagined. they wouldn't be expecting great things from him. Albus frowned, briefly wondering who he had meant**

 **by "they", then decided that it did not really matter.**

 **Albus turned his back to the window, smiling, and joined in on the fun the others were having.**

 **Lunch came an hour or so later. The trolley pushed by a very old, plump, smiling witch went by, and everyone bought their fill of the new Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans (now with more flavors), Chocolate Frogs, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, and Pumpkin Pasties.**

 **"Hey, Albus" began Rose "what card did you get? Ooh ooh! Is it Morgana? I'm missing her. Wanna trade? I got Agrippa and Ptolemy!"**

 **Albus looked down at his card. It was of Hermione, Albus's aunt, and Rose's mother. Albus knew why she had a Chocolate Frog card, his father having told him a year previously. Rose, however, had not been told yet. It was only a matter of time before she found out about the fall of you-know-who, but Albus did not want to be the one who revealed it to her.**

 **He was saved the trouble of making up an excuse for not showing his card, as James leaned forwards to rub at Rose's nose, as she had dirt on it.**

 **Albus heard a small sneeze coming from his right, which drew his view away from the giggling cousins. There was a small boy with a pale face and curious grey eyes peeking at him from around a crack in the door. James noticed too.**

 **"Oi! You, go away! Leave us alone!" He shouted, standing up angrily and reaching for his wand.**

 **The grey eyes widened in fear, and the boy vanished a second later.**

 **"Malfoy scum," James muttered, "you don't want to associate yourself with him. Pure Blood loving family. He probably came to be a jerk."**

 **But Albus wasn't so sure. He knew about the Malfoys, of course, but he saw no hostility in the eyes of the boy. On the contrary, it seemed like he was curious and lonely, a feeling Albus understood too well, with the knowledge of his family's history added onto the usual emotions of being a Hogwarts first year.**

 **The sun eventually began to set, and everyone pulled on their robes (James with his Gryffindor ones, Albus and Rose with blank ones).**

 **Soon after, the train began to slow. A woman's voice (who only Rose and Albus seemed to hear) rang through their compartment, saying "we are about to arrive. First years please leave your trunks and pets in your compartments. They will be collected and brought to the school separately."**

 **A few minutes later, the train lurched to a stop. Everyone excitedly dashed into the crowded corridor. There was a lot going on. someone had set of a few Weasley Wildfire Whizbangs, and someone else had set off a decoy detonator. everyone acted as if these things were normal, and continued on without a backwards glance.**

 **Rose tugged on Albus's sleeve and pointed excitedly at a book a third year Hufflepuff was holding. It bore the title "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: wizard edition by Rita Skeeter, alias J.K. Rowling."**

 **Rose was looking excitedly from Albus to the book. "Albus! Isn't that your da-?" But she was swept up by the crowd heading off the train.**

 **"That was a close one" Albus thought as the boy with the book moved away from them. Rose was smart, she would figure out the truth soon enough, but right now she was too excited by everything she saw to ponder on the clues for more than a few seconds.**

 **Albus allowed himself to be shuffled off the train. Stepping out onto the darkened platform, he smiled as he heard a familiar voice.**

 **"Fir's years over hear. Fir's years, come on! Gather roun' now". Albus shoved his way over to the massive form at the end of the platform. A small group of even smaller children was huddled around it.**

 **"Hiya, Hagrid" Albus called as he joined the group. "Albus" Hagrid said with a smile.**

 **To most he would seem like a monster, with his massive form, many-pocketed overcoat, dead ferrets hanging from his belt, and the tangled mass of black and grey hair and beard. But one look into the warm, crinkled, beetle black eyes would tell you that this was no monster, but a kind man. For Albus, It also helped that he had come over for dinner at the Potters countless times over the years.**

 **Hagrid waved merrily at Rose, who had just run up from the crowd of students heading the opposite way, then boomed "'s tha' everyone? Alrigh' follow me."**

 **He turned to the forest behind him, and began to trod down a well worn path through the trees. The first years timidly began to follow, no one daring to say a word, and everyone trying very hard not to lead the group.**

 **They walked in silence for around five minuets before Hagrid called out "Ye'll get yet fir's view o' Hogwarts here in a sec. Right aroun' tha' there turn ahead."**

 **The students held their breath as they rounded the bend. The trees slowly cleared and gave way to a rocky beach, and a glorious lake, glinting in the moonlight appeared. And then, as they stepped out onto the beach, they saw it. There were too many towers and spires to count. Thousands of warm lights shining like the stars from its windows. It was as if the mountain it sat on was reaching for the heavens. They were finally there. Hogwarts.**

 **Hey guys, thanks for reading! Again, this is the first chapter of my first ever fanfic, so sorry about how bad it probably is. If you see any mistakes, please let me know. Chapter two should go up really soon. As a huge (and I mean Huge) Harry Potter fan, I was distraught when "the cursed child" sucked as bad as it did, so I'm hoping to do it justice. So I'll see you next week to try and fulfill that. Please like and review. Or don't. It's not going to end the world if I don't have a like and a review from every single person who reads this.**


	2. Chapter 2

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)

Hello gentle viewers. Chapter one received much better responses than I thought it would. Seriously, I think maybe 2 people read it! So I guess I'll give you chapter 2 (which I would do even if no one reads these, because I have found love in writing this). Enjoy!

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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Chapter Two

HARRY AND GINNY COLLAPSED ONTO the couch. It had been a long day for both of them. Not only had they gone to Kings Cross, but Harry, being the head of the Auror Office, had the usual slam of work. Ginny, being on the international all women's Quidditch team known as the Hollyhead Harpies, had a hard days training.

"Sherlock?" Asked Harry. Ginny nodded tiredly, and Harry put on the muggle show the family had gotten addicted to.

As the credits started up, Harry stretched, put his arm around Ginny, and checked the old, battered golden watch on his wrist. It had little moving planets instead of hands.

"They should just now be arriving for the sorting." Harry said.

Ginny looked up at him, "are you worried?"

Harry shook his head. "They'll be fine. Well, Albus was worried. But I've talked to him. plus, it can't be worse than our first years."

Ginny grinned "yeah, you went through a magic obstacle course to fight Voldemort, and I was possessed by Tom riddle, and killed chickens and paralyzed people."

Harry laughed. "Filches cat!"

He received a light chuckle in return. "How was practice?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, you know. The usual. We did amazing and still the coach finds some way we could improve. Honestly, she's worse than Wood!"

Harry laughed. "No ones worse than Wood. Trust me, you've only heard stories about him, but he left before you came in."

"Oh well. Anyways, I don't see why you won't try pro Quidditch. Charlie could have played for England, and you're twice as good as he is."

"Maybe I will some day" Harry replied.

"And how was work? Anything interesting?" Ginny asked.

Harry held up his hand. "Wait, they might be telling us how he survived the jump!"

They watched until the commercials, then Harry answered her.

"We got an owl from Durmstrang. A wall that they knew, or thought they knew, couldn't be destroyed was found blown apart. They found it surrounded by dark magic."

"Wasn't that the wall that Krum says had The Hallows sign carved into it?"

"Yeah. Apparently Grindlewald put it there, so people there hate it. And the school teaches dark magic, so it was most likely a student who did it, but they want us to look into it anyway."

The show started up again. Before the two lapsed into silence, Ginny placed a gentle kiss on Harry's cheek, and whispered something in his ear. He smiled, and the two curled up together, happy.

—

There was a collective gasp of awe as the first years drank in the sight before them.

Albus found that a feeling of belonging was rising within him. It was so strong it drowned out everything else. He felt like he was about to enter into an old house of his that he hasn't seen in years, but was full of memories of happier times. It was a strange feeling, too, as he had never been to Hogwarts, had no clue what it was like, or how he would fit in.

"Alrigh' now," Hagrid said, making them jump, "no mor'n four to a boat."

They looked around and saw a small fleet of rowboats on the water that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Albus noticed that they had no ores

"We're. . . We're crossing the lake?" Asked a mousy haired kid.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" said Hagrid. "Now get a move on. I'm getting pretty hungry meself."

They slowly climbed into the boats. Hagrid, Rose, and the mousy haired kid got in a boat. Albus Climbed into one with two terrified looking first years. He could tell they were muggle born. One was fumbling with an iPod, frowning at it. "I swear it was at 90% on the train." Albus heard him say.

The boat rocked slightly, and Albus turned to see the pale boy from the train climbing in behind him. The boy eyed Albus nervously as he sat down across from him.

Feeling he needed to say something, Albus smiled shyly and said "hi, I'm Albus. I'm, um, I'm sorry about what happened on the train."

The boy look surprised. "Y-you are?" He asked.

"Yeah, you weren't hurting anyone, and you seemed lonely" replied Albus. The boy gave a quick, small smile. Albus stretched out his hand. "I'm Albus Potter" He said.

"I know," said the boy. Taking the hand, "I'm Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy."

His voice, Albus noticed, was slightly higher than one would have expected. His face was pale and pointed in a cute sort of way. He had short, white-blonde hair, and grey eyes. Not cold grey, like winter, but more like a cloudy spring rain grey.

With a lurch, the boats began to soar across the lake. Scorpius, not prepared for it, was thrown backwards, and Albus had to reach out and grab his robes to keep him from falling into the glinting obsidian mass beneath them.

"Thanks!" He gasped, then "what house do you think you'll be sorted into?"

"Dunno, do I? I mean, it could be any if them. Even Slytherin." Answered Albus.

"I hope I'm not in Slytherin." Snarled Scorpius. Albus was taken aback. "But, hasn't your whole family been in Slytherin?"

"Yeah, but father taught me that greed looses a person everything, and that "Pure Blood" doesn't mean better, and greed and high blood status are, in my opinion, what Slytherin represents."

This did not add up with what Albus knew about Draco, who was Scorpius's father. Scorpius seemed to read his gaze. "After the Battle of Hogwarts, father realized how wrong his thinking was. He raised me with good principles."

Albus sat in silence for a moment. This was not what he had expected, and was better than anything he could have hoped for. An unlikely friend with good judgment.

He gazed up at the castle, which was growing to an impossible size. They were almost there.

Looking around, Albus saw that the muggleborns next to him seemed to have forgotten their terror, caught up in the moment of awe as Hogwarts drew nearer and nearer.

It was two Quidditch fields away. Albus could see hundreds of owls swooping into a tower on the right.

It was 1 and 1/2 fields away. There was a dark forest in the distance, with a small hut out on the edge. "Hagrid must live there," Albus thought, "I mustn't forget that he's invited me for tea."

Half a field to go. People around him were muttering. Pointing. Albus looked and saw that they were heading right for a cliff! His breath caught in his throat. They were going to crash!

The group held its breath as the boats sped closer and closer to the cliff. There were some people preparing to jump off the boats and into the water, if it came to that.

But at the last second, the shadows on the rocks ahead seemed to melt, and the boats were drifting down a torchlit tunnel. They reached the end, and stopped. There was a rocky, small shore, and a wooden door set into the cave wall.

"Right, everyone out" Called Hagrid.

The boats emptied, and Hagrid walked over to the door and gave it two booming knocks.

The new students stared in wonder at the door. The silence amongst them was so absolute that you could hear the distant hooting of owls. Surprisingly, not one sound could be heard from behind the door before them. The door with a doorknob that had started to turn. . . .

Hey guy! I hope you, my gentle viewer, enjoyed this chapter. If all goes according to plan, then this will have been posted way sooner than I originally intended (I meant to publish one chapter a week). I have already received questions about shippage that may or may not occur in this fanfic. To answer those questions (yes, I respond to those reviews you leave and PM's you send), I say this: I will dabble with different ships throughout the fanfic. Your favorite may or may not occur, but since I'm a huge fanboy, you most likely will see yours show up.

Please share and review (or don't. It's not like the Cylons will come back and nuke us unless you do). I will try to post chapter 3 soon. If I keep going at this pace, you may have 5-7 new chapters to read by Monday.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)**

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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 **Hey guys! I have some good news and some bad news that will effect this fanfic from this chapter on. Fun fact: they're both the exact same thing! So I'll do the bad news first. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any lists that are canon that have the next gen Hogwarts teachers, except that Mcgonagall isn't headmistress, Neville is a teacher, and Hagrids a teacher. I'm not saying that more info isn't out there, just that I can't find it (if someone else finds it, please let me know). So I may make some big staff arrangement mistakes. The good news is that this means I can have whatever teachers I want teaching at Hogwarts. Oh, and I apologize beforehand for the singing. i got halfway through this chapter, and then realized that the sorting hat has to sing a song, and lyrics are really not my strong suit. Anyway, the plot must move forwards, so I give to you, my gentle viewers:**

 **Chapter 3**

 **ALL EYES WERE ON THE DOOR AS THE knob began to turn. No one dared to make a sound. Hagrid was still in front of the door, smiling.**

 **The door began to creak open. The shorter students stood up on tiptoes, craning their necks to try to see past the taller students.**

 **The door swung open, revealing an extremely old witch in dark purple robes. She bore spectacles that were clearly marked around her eyes. She had her white hair tied into a tight bun at the top of her head, and gave off a faintly strict air, which her hawklike visage did not help disperse.**

 **"Professor" said Hagrid, nodding at her.**

 **"Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here" she said. "Please go to the great hall. I'll talk with these students, and then we'll begin the sorting" said the witch.**

 **Hagrid squeezed past her, through the doorway, and out of sight.**

 **"If you would all please follow me" said the witch, turning and walking with surprising swiftness through the doorway as well.**

 **The group followed her nervously. They passed through the door and let out gasps of awe. They had walked into a grand hall which was so large it could easily fit two muggle houses inside and still have room to move freely.**

 **"This is the entrance hall" said the witch, "the Great Hall" she pointed to a large, ornate set of double doors at the far end of the chamber, " which is where we will be going after I've gone over a few things with you, is just through there."**

 **She stopped walking in front of a normal looking wooden door. She removed a key from her pocket, and opened the door. Stepping aside, she gestured for the students to enter.**

 **Albus stepped into the room. It was of a moderate size, although it lacked any furniture or decoration.**

 **When the last first year scurried into the room, the old witch strode in as well, closing the door behind her.**

 **"Good evening to you all, and welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall . I teach transfiguration here.**

 **"Some of you are surely wondering what the sorting is, and how we do it. The answer lies in legend. The four founders of this great school created four houses. Slytherin, with their cunning and instincts. Hufflepuff, who takes those normal and restrained. Ravenclaw, with the smarts to figure out any solution. And Griffindor, my own house, where dwell the brave of heart and mind."**

 **"Sorting is a complicated thing to explain, so I figure I will just let the hat tell you."**

 **"When you are sorted, however, you must note that your triumphs will win you house points, which go to winning the house cup at the end of next term. Any rule breaking will result in points being taken."**

 **"Well, I think that covers most of the basics. If you would wait here for a moment, I will go see if they are ready for you."**

 **She walked out of the room, which immediately burst into sound. Rose moved over to Albus, who was standing by the wall with Scorpius. She eyed him curiously, then turned to Albus.**

 **"This is so interesting! Did you notice that the door was under the school, but opens into the entrance hall?"**

 **"Well, yes. It's complex magic. They go over it in the expanded 'Hogwarts: A History'" said Scorpius.**

 **Rose's yes widened with surprise. She was clearly impressed.**

 **"You're that boy from the train." She said. "I'm Rose Weasley."**

 **"Scorpius Malfoy" he said.**

 **"Hmm. You don't seem that bad" she said.**

 **"Uh. . . Thanks, I guess?"**

 **"Oh, no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that! I just meant that you seem really nice and smart."**

 **"It's fine. I'm used to it" Scorpius said, waving off Rose's apology.**

 **"So, what house do you two think you'll go in? I'm hoping for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw" Rose said, hurrying into a new subject.**

 **"I don't really know." Albus responded**

 **"I don't want to be in Slytherin" Scorpius said again.**

 **He opened his mouth to say more, but then widened his eyes. A hush fell over the group. Rose whirled around.**

 **Professor McGonagall had arrived back in the room. "They are ready for you" she said.**

 **She turned and led the group out of the room, and into the entrance hall. They walked the length of the grand chamber, to the ornate double doors, which opened to receive them.**

 **They were greeted by a few seconds of cheerful chatter, which faded away into quietness. The hawkish teacher led them into the Great Hall. It was nearly as large as the entrance hall. There were four, long tables for students going vertically across the room, and a shorter one for the teachers facing the students horizontally from the very end of the chamber. Albus saw Hagrid and Neville wave at him from that table.**

 **"Oh! It's true! Albus, look at the ceiling!" Whispered Scorpius.**

 **Albus looked up past the floating candles, and saw that the ceiling high above them opened into the starry heavens.**

 **"It's enchanted to look like the sky!" Scorpius said.**

 **At last they reached the end of the hall, in front of the staff table. Before them sat a stool, and on the stool was an old, frayed looking wizards hat.**

 **Suddenly, the hat opened a fold like a mouth, and began to sing.**

 **"Welcome, students, to this school**

 **Where you will learn to brew and duel.**

 **But first you must be sorted**

 **and just your luck, that's what I do**

 **let both our minds be consorted.**

 **You might be in brave Gryffindor**

 **Be you of courageous heart,**

 **Or maybe your in Ravenclaw, if for you two moths ago school did start.**

 **Or perhaps you belong in Hufflepuff,**

 **If these other things you have no need.**

 **Or maybe even Slytherin,**

 **Where gather the cunning sons of greed.**

 **So try me on, I'm in your head,**

 **I'll place you where you go.**

 **Where you belong, you'll find yourself**

 **And with your new family, move to classes to and fro."**

 **The hat grew silent and still. Those in the long tables behind them cheered and clapped.**

 **McGonagall stepped forwards with a scroll. She shouted a name so that everyone could hear. "Aaron, Dean!"**

 **A kid separated himself from the group of first years, and scurried over to the teacher. She took the sorting hat, and placed it on his head. It slipped down, covering his eyes. After a moment, the hat shouted "HUFFLEPUFF!"**

 **The table to the far right cheered, and clapped, and the kid ran over to join them.**

 **Scorpius shuddered. He was clearly anxious.**

 **"It'll be alright. No matter where you end up, I'll support you. So will Rose. I think she likes you!" Albus whispered, although the last part was in a teasing voice. Scorpius rolled his eyes, but seemed to calm down somewhat.**

 **One by one the students were sorted. Then McGonagall called "Malfoy, Scorpius."**

 **Scorpius walked up to the hat. It was placed on his head. After a moment it came to its decision.**

 **"GRYFFINDOR!"**

 **Smiling, Albus's only friend walked over to the Gryffindor table.**

 **"That settles it," Albus thought, throwing out the advice that he had just given, "not Slytherin."**

 **After a few more minuets, McGonagall called "Potter, Albus."**

 **The hall went dead silent. Albus went up to the hat. He could feel every eye on him. he suddenly was wracked with horrible thoughts. what if he didn't belong to any house? or what if the hat couldn't decide? He was nothing like the boy he had made up on the train. He wasn't handsome, smart, or confident.**

 **He lowered himself onto the stool. McGonagall gave him as small smile before sliding the hat down over his eye.**

 **"Bee in your bonnet, Potter?" Came a voice in his ear.**

 **"Yes, I see what's inside." I can see where to put you."**

 **"Not Slytherin." Albus whispered.**

 **"Ah, I did that once before, but I must remind you that I am the one who decides it in the end."**

 **"Not Slytherin! Not Slytherin!" Albus pleaded.**

 **"Oh, but the path is so clear. I'm my opinion, you belong in SLYTHERIN!"**

 **The last word was shouted for the whole school to hear. The hat was removed. Albus gazed out at the hall, stunned.**

 **There was silence, and then the hall exploded into sound.**

—

 **Hey guys, thanks again for reading. Apparently something went wrong when I posted chapter two, and it appeared just as coding, so I had to remove and repost it.**

 **Sorry again for the cringeworthy sorting hat song. Luckily, I can only post better writing than that from now on, since I don't have to write a song like that again in this fanfic.**

 **Please share and review! Or don't. It's up to you (although, if you do review it, please feel free to criticize, ask questions, and make suggestions)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)**

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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 **Hello everyone! Real quick update, and then a Harry POV chapter. Lets have the update first, shall we? I have had very few reviews on this, but I have gotten some feedback/ questions from friends who have been reading it. I would like to answer a couple of their questions (things that some of you might be wondering as well).**

 **Q: Why are you publishing so fast? Surely you want to build suspense by waiting a while before you post the next chapter?**

 **A: there are several reasons for this. I love writing this fanfic, I haven't even gotten to the suspenseful parts yet. I have very few followers. I have way too much time on my hands.**

 **Q: will there be any smut?**

 **A: no**

 **Ta Da! That was easy. And now, my gentle viewers, for the chapter.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **IT WAS MIDNIGHT, AND HARRY COULDN'T SLEEP. He crawled quietly out of bed so as to not wake Ginny.**

 **He pulled his nightgown off its hanger and threw it over himself. Harry turned and headed for the door.**

 **He crept down the hall to a door that he kept locked at all times. Only he and the remaining DA and order members had the magically crafted keys that could open the door. What was inside was not for the eyes of children or outsiders.**

 **Pulling his key from a chain that was always on his neck, Harry unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. He was careful to close it tight behind him**

 **Once inside, Harry waved his wand, filling the room with a warm, fire like glow.**

 **The room was empty of furniture, but that wasn't what would draw the attention of anyone who did not have a key, had they the chance to step inside.**

 **It was the walls themselves that where what made this room special. Because they were covered in framed portraits. The figures in them consisted of nearly everyone who had given their lives to fight Voldemort for the Order of the Pheonix and the DA. there were also portraits up of the remaining Order and DA members.**

 **Missing from the room were Harry's parents. He had decided against putting them in the room. He did not know why he refused to bring them in, just that the idea felt wrong to him.**

 **The room was both a headquarters for the remainder of the DA and the Order, and a place of solace. Many of these portraits were hung up in various important places, including Hogwarts itself. As a way to memorialize and honor those who fought Voldemort, the houses had put up identical portraits to those in this room in the house dormitories to which those in the paintings had belonged.**

 **Harry walked over to the painting he most often talked to. The man in it was yawning and shaking himself awake. He pushed his long, black hair out of his handsome face. A face Harry had never seen him wear.**

 **"Harry, what's going on? Is something wrong?" Asked Sirius Black.**

 **"Maybe. I'm not sure" Harry replied "I just feel like something's up with Albus. I was wondering if a few of the Gryffindors could check on him?"**

 **"Certainly. I'll be right back." Responded Harry's godfather. He did everything he could for Harry without hesitation. It was something Harry often felt guilty about. He wanted to be able to do something for Sirius in return, but how could one help a dead man?**

 **Harry watched as Sirius slid sideways out of his frame, disappearing from view. He had a portrait up in the boys first year room in Gryffindor tower, and would easily be able to find Albus.**

 **"Ahem, Harry?" Came a voice to Harry's right. It was Albus Dumbledore. "Harry, if I may, you don't know that your son was sorted into Gryffindor. It would be wise, if you desire to check on him so badly, to have the other houses checked as well."**

 **Harry grew slightly red. "I hadn't thought of that. Yes, sir, your right."**

 **Dumbledore chuckled. "Harry, I am no longer your teacher. I would prefer, as you know, for you to call me 'Albus'".**

 **Disregarding this, Harry turned to the room at large. "Er, w-would a few of you from the other houses please go check in the first year dormitories?"**

 **"Of course, Harry." Came the voice of Luna Lovegood, now Luna Scamander, as she left her frame. A few others left as well, heading for their various houses.**

 **"Harry!" Came Sirius's voice. Turning back to his painting, Harry gave him a questioning look.**

 **"He wasn't there. He's not in Gryffindor. And you'll never believe who is! Malfoys kid!"**

 **Harry drank that information in.**

 **"He's not in Hufflepuff either." Said Cedric Diggory.**

 **"I've found him." Came a sallow voice. Harry turned and looked into the eyes of Severus Snape.**

 **"He. . . He's in Slytherin?" Asked Harry.**

 **"It would seem so. Mind you, he looks perfectly healthy. There doesn't seem to be anything the matter with him."**

 **Luna had reappeared, and was silently thinking over this information, as were all the other portraits.**

 **Harry was at a loss. "He seemed so scared of being in that house" said Harry. "So scared I told him about how he can ask for a certain house!"**

 **Dumbledore had his fingers pressed together, and was gazing at Harry with curiosity etched onto his face.**

 **"Harry, there is no cause for alarm. He is safe, and he is sleeping, as you should be. If you wish to dwell on this further, you should do so tomorrow."**

 **"You're right," Harry sighed, "just please, keep an eye on him, would you?" He asked, directing the question to Snape.**

 **"Of course" he said, already on his way out of the frame.**

 **"Harry, it will be alright" said Sirius. "Nothing happens at Hogwarts other than teaching, now that Voldemort is dead". A few of the other portraits flinched at the name that most people now could say freely, though some others nodded in agreement.**

 **"I know. I just can't shake this feeling that something else is wrong" said Harry, crossing the room to the door. He turned off the light, and left the room. The door shut, and a second later there was a small click as Harry locked it.**

—

 **Heyo! I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Please share and review (or don't. It's your life (I would really prefer it if you did, though)). And don't forget, there are more chapters!**


	5. Chapter 5

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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Hello, gentle viewers. This is my fifth and final chapter (nah, just kidding). Due to the popularity (for lack of a better term) for the review "why are the chapters so short?" I will be trying to make the chapters longer (but when typing on a small ass phone, they seem longer than they actually are, so good luck with that). Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, because this one and the next one is where shit starts going down.

Chapter 5

"Did you hear that?"

"Harry potters kid?! In Shytherin?!"

"Do we have shit in our ears? We can't have heard that right!"

These were some of the things that Albus heard from the people in the Great Hall as he sat, stunned, on the sorting stool. Not even the Shytherins themselves were cheering.

" Off you go, Potter" McGonagall said, patting him lightly on the shoulder. Looking up at her Albus saw that she was giving him an odd, disbelieving look.

He stood up, and began to walk slowly over to the Slytherin table. He could see Hagrid and Neville shaking their heads. He could see his brother, James, over at the Griffindor table, looking slightly sick. And worst of all, he could see his one and only, new friend, Scorpius, who was just a little way down from James, looking like the world itself had been turned upside down.

Albus had reached the chattering Slytherin table. He sat down in a seat no one seemed to want next to a gaunt, bloodstained ghost in chains.

"Ahem. Lets continue" professor McGonagall said loudly, and the hall went silent once more as she continued the sorting. It lasted only a few minuets more, finally ending on "Weasley, Rose". Albus's cousin walked up to the stool. She gave Albus halfhearted wave and a sad smile as she sat down and allowed the sorting hat to be placed on her head.

After only a few seconds, the hat roared "GRYFFINDOR!" and was pulled from her head. The Griffindors clapped, and Rose sped happily over to a seat next to Scorpius, who immediately engaged her in conversation. Albus noticed that Scorpius looked over at him, giving him a smile before he began Speaking to Rose.

The sorting continued until every first year had a house. The hat and stool were removed, and McGonagall swept to her seat at the Staff table.

A woman in the middle of the table, to McGonagalls left, stood up. She had shoulder length black hair, strict-looking lips that were pursed as if she was constantly reading an engaging book, and was clearly in her 50's. A hush fell over the students when they saw she was standing.

"New students, welcome to Hogwarts. Old students, welcome back" she said, and Albus was startled to hear that she had an american accent. "Another fine year has arrived at last. There will be time for the start of term notices after our lovely feast. Enjoy."

With that last word, she sat down, and people began to chatter freely. Albus looked down to see that golden plates of food and flagons of drink had appeared before them. There were steaks, potatoes, burgers and curry. There were mint humbugs, fruit, soups and fish. There was nearly any food one could imagine, all right there.

Slowly filling his plat, Albus decided to distract himself. He would think on the sorting later. He turned to the ghost next to him (he was in no mood to talk to the Shytherins themselves unless they decided they wanted to talk to him) and asked it "what's your name?"

It seemed taken aback by the question. "I'm the Bloody Baron, ghost of Slytherin tower" the gaunt former man said in a hoarse, scratchy voice. Albus bit into a chicken leg that was almost as amazing as Grandma Molly's cooking.

"And, uh, that lady up there. The one who spoke to the school, who's she?" Albus asked once he had swallowed his bite.

"Professor Gene Adalade. She is the current Headmistress. Now if you don't mind, I must go keep Peeves under control. We allowed him entry to the Great Hall after he proved himself at the Battle of Hogwarts, but one must still keep an eye on him."

The ghost, who was muttering something about poltergeists and time wasters, floated sideways through Albus, leaving him feeling like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him. He looked down at his plate of food, and suddenly realized how hungry he was. He began devouring the food, only looking up to scan the faces around him. He once thought he saw Scorpius staring at him from over at the Griffindor table, but when he glanced back, Albus saw him chatting animatedly with Rose.

"Hey, Albus, isn't it? Anyway, is anyone sitting there? Only, the asses over there, where I was sitting, well, their asses, so I moved." Albus looked up to see a fellow first year with warm skin and brown hair pointing at the seat next to him, which had previously been taken up by the Bloody Baron.

"N-no, no ones sitting there." Albus stammered. The boys eyes twinkled as he sat down and began loading up his plate.

"Me name's Alistair. Ali for short. I'm not really sure why I got Slytherin instead of Hufflepuff, I mean, I'm muggleborn, and I sure don't belong in Ravenclaw of Gryffindor. I suppose it's 'cause I could be considered greedy. But I mean, wouldn't you go after every cent you could get your hands on if you were poor?" the boy said conversationally. " Anyway, what about you? I mean, I've heard about the Potters even if I am muggleborn. Why are you Slytherin?" He asked, shoving a forkful of shepherds pie into his mouth.

"I don't know. I asked the hat not to put me here, but it did anyway" Albus responded with a shrug, trying to pass it off as something he wasn't bothered by. The boy, Ali, look at him curiously, as if he knew it bothered Albus, then shrugged and returned his attention to the food in front of him.

"And, uh, is the hat supposed to put you where you ask it to?" Ali asked through a mouthful of sausages.

"I guess. My dad told me that it works, but i guess he was a special case" Albus responded. All he got in return was a small "hmmph" of curiosity.

Albus ate the rest of his dinner in silence. Soon enough, the plates cleared themselves, and their pudding appeared on them. There were ice creams, sherbets, cakes, treacle tarts (which Albus tried and quickly found to be the best he'd ever had). Once everyone had eaten their fill of all that, the plates cleared again and professor Adalade stood up. A hush spread through the hall.

"Good evening. I know that you are all full and warm and tired, but before you go to your beds, I must ask you to sit through a few start of term notices. The Dark Forest is forbidden to all students, as is the lake, seeing as the merpeople are feeling territorial this year. Took a lot of negotiations to get them to let the first years to cross the lake on their way to Hogwarts, as is tradition, but I doubt that they'll take kindly to you all swimming. Magic is banned in the halls between class, as are a number of other things that can be checked on the very extensive list in our caretaker, Mr Filch's office.

This year we are welcoming one new teacher to the staff table. Professor Slughorn, the potions master, head of Slytherin house, has gone back into retirement. Please welcome Professor Adama, who will be taking up both positions."

There was some polite clapping for the new teacher, who was an old black man. There were many more moans and groans about the old teacher leaving than there was applause for the new one at all, though.

"Well, I think that's all for right now" said professor Adalade, giving them her first smile of the night, "off to bed now. Lessons start at 10 sharp tomorrow morning. Good night."

The loud chatter returned as everyone stood up, stretching. The older student were already leaving the hall, heading to their house dormitories. Looking around, Albus saw Scorpius heading for the door of the Great Hall with the group if Gryffindor first years. He caught Albus's eye. He waved at him cheerfully, but was pulled back into conversation with Rose. Albus noticed that James was glaring at Scorpius from behind his back.

"Albus. Hey!" Said Ali, snapping his fingers under Albus's nose. "Hey, we gotta go. That prefect is taking us to the common room."

Albus looked around to where Ali was pointing. A tall 6th year Slytherin with black hair and glasses was standing impatiently with the rest of the Slytherin first years. Feeling red in the face, Albus sped over to them with Ali.

"Now that we're all here, I can show you to the Slytherin common room." Said the boy. "Please pay attention so that you know the way. And by the way, my name is Gavin."

They exited the great hall, and walked through a doorway that led to a staircase heading down. The common room, it seemed, was in the dungeons.

"Hey, who was that blonde boy you were staring at when I had to come and getcha?" Ali asked.

"He's a friend. Scorpius Malfoy. And I wasn't staring!" Replied Albus hotly.

"Like hell you were. We was all yelling at you. Took me coming over to you to snap you out of it. A friend you say. I'll bet."

"Shut up." Said Albus, laughing. "Anyway, we should pay attention to where we're going. I'd hate to get lost down here."

"Ah, no, it won't be a problem. When we need to leave tomorrow, we'll just follow a couple of other Slytherins to the Great Hall. And after dinner, we'll follow 'em back." Ali said cheerfully. Albus found he was liking the kid more and more the more the two talked. One thing was bothering Albus, though.

"Ali, what's your surname?" Asked Albus. "Leonid" responded Albus's friend. He lapsed into silence after that.

A couple of minuets later, the group arrived at a blank stretch of wall. The prefect, Gavin, turned to the group. "Alright, this is where the entrance to the Slytherin common room is. To get in, there is a password you must speak. Do not forget what it is (oh no! Squealed one of the smallest in their group)". Gavin turned back to the wall and said "Romanian Ironbelly".

A door carved into being before their eyes. It was made of the same stone as the wall, and had the Hogwarts crest and motto (Draco Dormiens Nunquam Tittilandus) decorating it.

"Ok, first years. This is it. Welcome to Slytherin" Gavin said at he opened the door.

Hey guys! Thanks for reading chapter 5. It felt like it was longer than chapter 4 when I wrote it, so I'm sorry if its not. Please share and review (or don't. It's not like the Gorram Reavers will show up if you don't. It's your choice). Chapter 6 should go up in the next couple of days. Until then, gentle viewers!


	6. Chapter 6

**Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)**

 **If you like my fanfics, or have any questions/comments/suggestions/concerns, please both post a review on this site and go to this page so I can answer you easily**

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 **Hello, gentle viewers. Last chapter, we had poor Albus eating in the great hall, meeting a few new people (it's my fanfic, so I take pleasure in creating characters), and we found out that it is a bad idea for a person to edit their writing at midnight after they've taken sleep meds. I apologize to those who read that mistake filled chapter before I had the chance to fix It. But enough about bad editing! Lets go see what Harry and Albus are up to! In this chapter I intend to have some normal Hogwarts weirdness, and then start dropping the plot. Fair warning, this chapter will be waaayyy longer than the others have been.**

 **Chapter 6**

 **THE STONE DOORWAY SWUNG WIDE to reveal a large chamber within. There were no windows. The room was lit by torches bearing green tinted flames. It seemed that they were under the lake, for there was a sort of ever changing textured light dancing slowly through the room that resembled light through water, and clearly had nothing to do with the emerald torches.**

 **The Slytherin flag was up on one wall, and there was one fireplace with normal fire set into the far wall. But the thing that would impress any was the snakes. There were hundreds of them decorating the room. From small grass snakes to large Boas, they were everywhere, and they were extremely lifelike.**

 **"Ok, let me show you to your dormitory" called Gavin. He led them to two doors set into the wall on the far left from where they had walked in.**

 **"The door on the left is for men, and the one on the right, women. You go up the stairs to the second from the top door. Good night, and make sure you get to breakfast on time, as our head of house will be passing out timetables."**

 **With that, Gavin swept up through the boys door, up the staircase, and out of sight. The rest of the first years split up, some of the girls waving goodnight to their new friends. Rubbing their eyes, the first years trudged up the spiral staircase, to the door of their dormitory.**

 **They shuffled inside, and stopped. It was lit with a warm glow. There were six four-poster beds with silky curtains. Albus saw one that had his trunk laying next to it, and his cage complete with a sleeping ferret in an open space under his bedside table.**

 **"There, see, you're just like everyone else" said a small voice in his head.**

 **Albus walked over to his bed, and noticed a dark window next to it. This puzzled him, as they must've been miles under the school. He quickly dismissed the thought. It must be enchanted in some way.**

 **Looking at his watch, Albus saw that it was nearly midnight. He bent down, opened his trunk, and pulled out his snitch pajamas and his toothbrush.**

 **He turned to the door that he assumed led to the washroom, but stopped as he noticed two portraits on the wall. Both were empty.**

 **Walking cautiously up to them, Albus saw that they were labeled. He began to read the first one.**

 **"Hero of Hogwarts, Slytherin House: Regulas A. Black. During the first war, Regulas was one of the Death Eaters, but quickly changed to our side, giving his life to a very effective way to fight Voldemort."**

 **Albus realized that this was his fathers godfathers brother. Though it did not say what he had done to help bring about Voldemorts downfall, Albus knew about the Horcruxes. He turned to the second empty portrait, and read that description as well.**

 **"Hero of Hogwarts, Slytherin house: Severus Snape. Through both wars, he was a Key piece in the downfall of Voldemort, as he was an effective Double Spy for our side. His life was lost at Voldemorts hand, although the dark wizard never suspected that Snape was a spy."**

 **Albus grimaced. They did a poor job, in his opinion, explaining what had happened. This was a man so brave and important that Harry had named Albus Severus after him.**

 **Albus looked up from the description card and jumped.**

 **A man had appeared in the painting. A man with a hook nose, sallow skin, greasy black hair, and cold black eyes.**

 **"Well well, what do we have here?" Asked the man, his voice dripping with sarcasm.**

 **"I-I'm sorry, sir, I was just reading. Er, I guess I'll go, then" Albus stuttered, backing away from the portrait. To his supprise, Albus saw the man smile.**

 **"No, no. There is nothing to apologize for, Albus. Hmm, you have her eyes, you know."**

 **"What d'you. . ." Albus began, but the man, still smiling slightly, had walked sideways out of this frame, and disappeared.**

 **Baffled by this, Albus walked away to brush his teeth. When he was done, he slipped into his pajamas, and collapsed on his bed, asleep in moments. Had he not been as tired as he was, he might have noticed that Snape had reappeared in his portrait, and that his eyes did not leave Albus until well into the morning.**

—

 **Albus was awoken the next morning at around 9 by Ali, who was shaking him .**

 **"Al, hey, Al! Wake up or we're gonna be late."**

 **Albus groaned and sat up, scrunching his eyes against the morning light streaming through the enchanted window. He struggled into his robes, which somehow now had the Slytherin emblem on the front. The two left the common room yawning and stretching. They had found a lone 5th year, and were following her to the Great Hall.**

 **As soon as they walked into the hall, several people ran up to Albus.**

 **"What happened?" Asked James.**

 **"Why are you in Slytherin?" Questioned Rose.**

 **"Mate, I thought you didn't like Slytherin either!" Exclaimed Scorpius.**

 **"Guys, I don't know! I asked the hat not to put me there, and I have no idea why it did" Albus answered. He was in no mood to try and explain what had gone wrong, especially as he had no idea himself. "Anyway, I need to eat, and I should be getting my timetable soon."**

 **Grumbling, his family left Albus, heading back to their table. James shot a furious look at Scorpius, who had stayed behind.**

 **"Let's go. I'll sit with you" he said, already walking towards the Slytherin table.**

 **"Wh-what?" Albus asked as he and Ali sped up to catch Scorpius. "Sit with us?"**

 **"Well yeah. I'm your friend, no matter what house we're in. And you can't have wanted to be in Slytherin. I mean, did you see your face when the hat put you there?"**

 **They arrived at the table. The three of them shoved their bags under it and sat down. They then loaded up their plates with bacon and hot cakes.**

 **"So who're you?" Asked Scorpius, looking at Ali.**

 **"Alistair Leonid" he said, "but I go by Ali."**

 **"I'm Scorpius Malfoy. Don't worry, I don't bite" Scorpius said, catching the look Ali gave him when he heard the name "Malfoy".**

 **There came a loud rustling from overhead. Every head in the hall turned to gaze upwards as hundreds of owls with mail rained down, as though there really was no ceiling.**

 **It took only a couple of minuets. Albus had told his parents not to write too often, and received no mail. Ali's parents were muggles, and could hardly send a letter by owl. Albus was surprised that Scorpius had received no mail either.**

 **"I told dad that I wanted to write to them first" he explained.**

 **"Ahem" came a deep voice behind them, "are you Albus Potter and Ali Leonid?"**

 **They turned around and saw the old black professor Adama standing there. He eyed Scorpius's Gryffindor robes, but said nothing.**

 **"Yes" said Albus and Ali together.**

 **"Your timetables" he said, holding out two bits of parchment. "Try to be on time."**

 **He shuffled off back up the table. Scorpius excitedly pulled his own timetable from his pocket. "Let's see yours then!"**

 **Albus looked down at his. He had Charms with the Hufflepuffs first, then Herbology with the Ravenclaws, then lunch, and Potions with the Gryffindors (he and Scorpius exchanged grins), and Double Transfiguration, also with the Gryffindors.**

 **"Welp, we got two classes together today." Scorpius stretched and stood up. "We should get going. Father says its a pain to try and find your classes on the first day. We should leave early."**

 **They left the hall, carrying the remainder of their breakfast (Scorpius headed off in a different direction). They went up a large marble staircase, and ran into a ghost. He was dressed in medieval attire, and his head seemed to be wobbling.**

 **"Hey, hey! Sir!" Called Ali. The ghost turned, eyebrow arched. "May I help you?" It asked.**

 **"Yeah! Can you point us in the direction of the Charms room?" Albus called.**

 **The ghost floated over to them. "I, Sir Nicholas De Mimsy Porpington, could do that, yes. It's up that staircase over there. No, that one! Yes. And you just go down the corridor it comes out at, it's the 3rd door on the right. Good day." He responded, and as he said the last two words, he grabbed his hair and pulled, causing his neck to tip off his body like one would tip a hat. A few centimeters of skin was all that kept the head attached to his 'body'. smiling, the ghost replaced his head on his shoulders, and floated away.**

 **Ali turned wide eyed to Albus.**

 **"This place is wicked! C'mon, let's go!" The two set off up the staircase that the nearly headless ghost had pointed to. But as they got to the top, something odd began to happen. First, the bell signaling the end of breakfast and the start of their first class echoed through the school. And at the same time, the staircase that they were at the top of began to move away from the wall and the corridor the pair was supposed to go down.**

 **"What the heck!" Albus cried, grabbing onto the rails.**

 **"How are we gonna get to class?"**

 **"We're going to have to jump!" Albus said as the sound of feet from students began to fill he school.**

 **"What?! Are you insane!" Cried Ali. The staircase was now several feet away from the corridor, leaving a square hole in the wall.**

 **"Do you want to be late to our first class?"**

 **Without waiting for an answer, Albus took a running leap, landing in the corridor. He turned in time to see Ali land behind him, panting.**

 **"Ass! Come on, lets get going!" He gasped, and the two sped down to the third room on the right.**

 **It was the perfect picture of a classroom save for the large white feathers sitting on the desks.**

 **The two took seats at the back as other students began filing in. When everyone was seated, their teacher entered the room from his office. He was very short and extremely old.**

 **"Good morning class" he squeaked in a high voice, "I am professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. In my class, you will learn how to proform many of the charms, spells, jinxes and hexes that you will need to know as witches and wizards. Now, I will begin teaching you today, even though this is the first day of school. But before we begin that, there is one quick thing that I must tell you.**

 **"It is odd for the 3rd of September to fall on a weekend, but as school starts on the 2nd, and it is tradition to start learning the very next day, we are indeed beginning today. You need not worry, as you normally have weekends off, and will not have lessons tomorrow."**

 **The small old man gave out a huff, then walked up to his desk. Behind it, there was a stool with a stack of large books set on it. The tiny professor climbed them, and stood up. It seemed to be the only way he could see over his desk.**

 **"We will start," he said, "with the levitation charm. Please produce your wands."**

 **The room was briefly filled with the sound of shuffling as the students pulled their wands out of their bags. Albus bent over to retrieve his own, which was Mahogany, unicorn hair, and 11 inches.**

 **"Good, good! Now, the spell for making objects fly can be difficult the first few times, but then, what spell isn't?" Exclaimed Flitwick cheerfully. "Please follow these simple instructions. Concentrate on making the feathers before you fly, then swish your wand and end that swish with a flick. At the same time, recite the incantation 'Wingardium Leviosa'. Alright. Good! Lets give it a try!"**

 **The students began waving their wands and shouting the enchantment. As they were sharing a feather, Ali and Albus took turns trying it out. Albus found it very frustrating. It seemed to be a simple enough spell, but no one so far had succeeded.**

 **"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ali cried, waving his wand extravagantly, and flicking it hard several times.**

 **"Stop it before you hurt someone!" Laughed Albus as he watched his friend flail his arm around.**

 **"Let's see you do it, then!" Ali said, grinning. Albus picked up his wand, and looked at the feather. An alien feeling of confidence swelled within him. This was easy! He could do it! He knew he could.**

 **Grinning, Albus gave his wand a swish and a flick, and called out "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

 **The feather floated up high above their heads. He could feel the magic in him. He could feel that he was meant to do magic. Albus turned, beaming, to Ali, whose mouth seemed to be on the floor.**

 **"Oh! Look class. Potters done it!" Flitwick squealed. "Take 10 points to Slytherin!"**

— **-**

 **Harry woke up at 8 that morning. He rolled over, but only got a blurry view of an empty was already up. Her Quidditch team had long practices that started early.**

 **He pulled on his robes, pushed on his glasses, and walked down to the kitchen. Ginny was there reading the 'Daily Prophet' and buttering herself some toast. As Harry walked in she said "long night?"**

 **"So you knew about that, huh?" He asked her, pouring himself some coffee.**

 **"Oh, I expected you to want to use the room to check on them tonight. You've been worried about how they'd do for a while now. So? how are they? I want a full report" she replied, raising her glass of orange juice and smiling.**

 **Harry sighed and pulled together his courage. "Al's in Slytherin." Ginny looked up at him, eyebrow raised.**

 **"And, uh, is that a problem? I know it's not the best house, but supposedly they're better than they were in our time."**

 **"No, I know, I know. It's not bad, but I'm surprised. He was so worried about being put there. I gave him some advice, but still that's where he was put. And I can't shake this feeling that something else is wrong."**

 **"Hey, it'll all be fine. Remember what we talked about last night?"**

 **Harry nodded, then said "anything interesting in the post?"**

 **" Oh, an owl came for you. I almost forgot." Ginny pointed to the kitchen counter, where a letter addressed to Harry lay.**

 **He picked it up and opened it. His eyes scanned the page and he groaned. "You remember that wall at Durmstrang? Well a representative is meeting me at the Ministry. He's going to take me there to have a look, see what I think."**

 **"You're going to Durmstrang? Well, send me a postcard. And it's supposed to storm today, so that's gonna be a fun practice." Ginny replied.**

 **Harry grunted as he bit into a piece of toast. "It says I'm to meet him at 9:15. I have a few other things at the office to deal with, so I've got to go now. I'll see you later."**

 **Ginny stood up and gave him a quick kiss. Harry then stepped back, and turned on the spot, vanishing with a loud CRACK!**

—

 **Harry reappeared a moment later in a swirl of green flames at the Ministry of Magic. He ran to one of the elevators, which, once he was inside, zoomed off to his level.**

 **Stepping into his office a few minuets later, Harry sat down. He had received updated reports on both muggle firearms and the possible location of an Azkeban escapee. People were getting out of the wizarding prison much more often these days, as wizards no longer employed the foul Dementors as guards.**

 **Harry became so enveloped in his work that he wouldn't have noticed that it was 9:15 if not for a memo that came zooming into his office to tell him that the Durmstrang representative had arrived.**

 **Sighing, Harry went to meet the man, who was thin and wrapped in furs. They spent 20 minuets going over the usual secrecy that Foreign schools he dealt with always wanted to impress on him. He was to go side along apparition with the man so that the schools secret location was not divulged, and he was to attempt no spells to enable anyone to find the school in any way.**

 **Finally, the time had come for the two to go see the damage at the school.**

 **They walked to a Ministry designated apparition/dissaparition spot, and Harry grabbed the mans arm. The man immediately twisted, and the two went through the usual minuet of feeling like they were being squeezed through a tube, then appeared on a high, frozen mountain top in the courtyard of a castle much smaller than Hogwarts.**

 **"This spot has been made only temporarily open to apparition, to save trouble for your arrival." Harry's companion told him with a slight accent.**

 **"Where's the wall?" Harry asked.**

 **"Follow me" said the man. They began walking toward the far side of the large courtyard.**

 **"Where are the students?" Harry asked.**

 **"Our term starts in two days" the man replied.**

 **When at last they reached the courtyard wall, Harry could see the problem. Chunks of heavily charred stone had exploded outward from where there had once been a wall. Now there was a charred hole that led into a hallway.**

 **Harry bent down and picked up one of the blackened bits of rubble, his hands chilled. He began muttering spells, testing theories for 15 minuets before throwing the chunk back onto the ground.**

 **"Well, there is one thing I can tell you" he said gravely. "The magic that did this to your supposedly indestructible wall, it did not come from an outside source."**

 **"What do you mean?" Snarled Harry's companion.**

 **"What I mean is that the wall itself was the cause of the magic. In other words, the wall destroyed itself."**

 **The man looked puzzled. He opened his mouth, and began to speak, but Harry heard none of it. So unprepared was he for what was happening that he cried out and collapsed onto the ground. He dissaparated a second later, his head racked with pain. He could hear the man roaring in outrage as he saw Harry leaving, but Harry did not care. He was more terrified than he had been in nearly 20 years.**

 **Harry reappeared in his empty house, and bolted to the portrait room. He unlocked it faster than he had ever done, and dashed inside.**

 **"Ah, Harry. You will be pleased to know that Albus seems fine." Said Snape.**

 **"Shut up!" Harry panted. "Listen! Go to your paintings! All of you! Put everyone on alert! There's no time to lose!"**

 **"Harry. What has happened?" Dumbledore asked him calmly.**

 **"My scar hurt for the first time since I killed Voldemort!" Harry yelled. Dumbledores eyes widened with supprise. "All of you! Go! You heard the man!" He cried, and all of the portraits ran out of their frames.**

—

 **Hey guys! Long chapter compared to the other ones. Lets hope this one lacks the mistakes that chapter 5 had at first.**

 **Thanks for reading! Please share and review! Chapter 7 should be out soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (how it should have been)

Hello, gentle Viewers. Please excuse the short hiatus between this chapter and last. Today I will be posting answers to a few questions/complaints I have received about this fanfic so far (yes, i do read your reviews, and i do respond to them), and also (of course), chapter 7, which is a bit long compared to the others, and includes some usual first year magic, and a few minor to moderate plot points (yay, lets make the fanfic sound dull so that less people will read it! Wheeeee!)

—

QUESTIONS:

I have received a lot of shipping questions. The short answer to those is that I will dabble.

Another concern was about how Rose knew nothing about her family's heroic past (something that I go into in this and the next chapter). At the end of HPATDH, Albus asks why everyone is staring at the group on the platform at Kings Cross, and Ron gives a sarcastic response. This gave me the idea for if one of the kids did not know the family history, and how magical (no pun intended) it would be to dig up the clues to find it out (also oooh! the angst!). It also gives me a way to throw in some fanboy fan theories.

And one last one was someone asking me "how can you just create characters?" Well, there isn't exactly a rule saying I can't, and it's nice to have a few people in there that I can shape however I want without 'cannon' getting in the way! (Also, there aren't that many people to choose from for certain plot points, so it helps to just make my own)

Now enough about me! Lets go to the story!

Chapter 7

ALBUS AND ALI LEFT THE CHARMS ROOM, laughing

"Did you see the looks on their faces when you got it to float?" Ali asked.

"Amazing!" Albus agreed. "Anyway, it's off to Herbology. A family friend teaches it!"

Ali grinned, "ah, but how do we find the large, obvious greenhouses outside?"

Cracking up, the two ran down the staircase (which had moved back to its original position), and dashed into the entrance hall, up to the open double doors that led outside, and through them into the sunlight.

It was a sight to behold. The massive castle was situated between several grand peaks, which were rocky and green now, but Albus could imagine how they would look when snowcapped.

The green lawn of the grounds stretched off in one direction for a long way until it reached the mirror surface of the lake. In the other direction, it reached out until it touched the trees at the start of the Forbidden Forest. Albus noticed Hagrid outside his hut with a large group of students. He and Ali waved, but it was too far to tell if Hagrid saw them or waved back.

The two wandered around to the side of the school where the greenhouses were located. They found a small number of students already there. As Albus and his friend drew level with them, they saw a man with a round, smiling face sitting on the ground outside greenhouse one. The other students were crowded around him.

"Ah! Albus! Good to see you." The man called when he spotted the two boys.

"Hello Nev- erm, I mean, hey professor Longbottom." Albus replied.

"How are you holding up, then?" Neville asked with a light, masking chuckle, but Albus knew that he was talking about the sorting.

"I'm alright," Albus said defiantly, although he wasn't sure himself whether or not that was the truth.

"I was just about to show these other first years my Dumbledore's Army coin" professor Longbottom told Albus. Ali, being muggleborn, frowned at the sentence. He had never heard of "Dumbledore's Army".

Albus nodded. He had seen the coin before on several occasions when Neville came round to the Potters house for dinner.

The teacher pulled a coin identical to an old golden Galleon from his pocket, and handed it carefully to one of the first years, whose eyes grew wide with awe and admiration. The coin was passed around, each person staring at it in amazement.

"What's it for?" Ali whispered in Albus's ear. "Why's it special?"

"Tell you later" Albus hissed back. The coin had just been passed to him. Having seen it before, Albus turned it over to Ali.

"Ah, here come the others," said Neville, standing up. Albus turned and saw a group of other first years walking over to the greenhouses.

"Ouch!" Cried Ali, and there came the sound of clinking metal as he dropped the coin.

"What's up?" Asked Neville, turning back to him looking concerned.

"The coin, it got all hot all of a sudden," Ali said. Neville's eyes widened, and he stopped down quickly, picking the coin up.

"It hasn't done that in years" he muttered, scowling as he turned the coin to examine the edge. His eyebrows pushed together, and he thrust the coin into his pocket as the other first years arrived.

"Ahem. Uh, welcome to Herbology. I'm professor Longbottom. Uh, follow me inside." He ushered them into greenhouse one, looking concerned and distracted.

The lesson was very uneventful. Neville rushed through telling them what they would cover that year, the whole time seeming supremely disconcerted. When the lunch bell rang, he was the first out the door, rushing up to the castle.

"What was that all about?" Ali asked as the two boys packed up their bags.

"I know some of it" Albus responded, and quickly told him about the DA and the enchanted coins they used to communicate.

"Huh, well then! I guess I'd have been freaked too if I had a coin like that, and it turned on all of a sudden for the first time in years" Ali said as the two began walking up to the school.

When they walked into the Great Hall for lunch, Albus noticed that a lot of the staff members were missing, including McGonagall, Neville, Hagrid, and Flitwick.

Albus turned to go sit down, but was stopped as someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Turning, Albus saw his cousin, Rose, wide eyed and stiff.

"Al, can I talk to you?" She asked.

"Sure" Albus replied. He told Ali to wait for him at the table, let Scorpius know what had happened in Herbology, and why Albus wasn't there. Albus then walked with Rose back out into the entrance hall.

"Al, what's going on? I feel like I'm going mad. People keep staring at me like I'm famous, and keep saying things, and then they look at me like I'm supposed to understand what they're saying! They seem to involve our parents! And then there was that book that the kid on the train had! Oh, Al, am I going crazy?"

This was exactly the subject that Albus did not want to talk about with Rose. It was complicated, and it was uninviting, but Albus knew from experience that trying to hide things from her never turned out good. It was best to point her in the right direction, and try to avoid what fury he could when she discovered what it was.

"Rose, you're not crazy. I can't explain everything, not now, but our parents and their friends, well, they're famous. You've grown up in the wizarding world, and you must've picked up on some of it. It involves Voldemort. It'd take to long to explain. Please trust me on this" Albus said, worry and plea in his voice. Rose nodded slowly, drinking in his words. Albus plunged on before she got over her initial shock and exploded.

"Your parents have left you in the dark for a reason. It was their choice, which is why James and I never said anything" Rose frowned at this, and Albus kept trying to hurry her along.

"Tell you what. That book that you saw the boy on the train with, well go to the library, and ask for the first one. There are seven. They'll tell you what you need to know. Oh, don't look at me that way, Rose! What was I supposed to do? And you're a fast reader. You'll know everything in no time." Albus cringed at the look she gave him. She stalked off, looking furious, for once not asking follow up questions.

"Secrets are kept for a reason," said a voice in his head.

"Oh, shut up, me. This'll all be over soon." Albus muttered to himself.

He returned to the great hall, sitting down between Ali and Scorpius, who seemed to have been discussing what had happened in their various houses.

"What was that all about?" Ali asked as Albus took up a knife and fork.

"Rose is catching on to our families history" Albus replied, although he aimed the answer at Scorpius.

Scorpius went red. "I, uh, I might have had something to do with that. I've been talking around her as though she knew everything. She asked me what I was talking about, but I stopped talking about that stuff after she did. I thought she knew, you know?"

Albus picked up his fork and speared a carrot slice. Rose was small and clever, but she could be fierce. Albus dreaded facing her fury when she found out everything.

"So, double Transfiguration later. Can you believe this? It's our first day!" Ali said, clearly trying to break the ice.

Scorpius grimaced. It was all he could do to keep himself from replying with a fact about how Hogwarts and scheduling worked. Albus could see it in his face (he had grown up around Rose, who was the same way). He started grinning.

"What? What's so funny?" Scorpius demanded as Albus's grin widened. "Oh, you know, it's the first day at Hogwarts, and we're worried about Rose finding out what she should already have known, and the fact that we have a double period. Just think about what our parents would have been worried about in their time?"

"Voldemort and Quidditch!" Scorpius said, laughing. "Yeah, I see what you mean. And speaking of, they've lifted the ban on first years flying. Think you might try out for your house team? I am."

Albus hadn't thought about that. He was a decent player, but he did not have a position he was best at. He could play any of them pretty well. Must be his genes, having a Potter and a Weasley for his parents.

"Yeah, I suppose I might," Albus answered, "just to be a pain in your ass!" The three boys laughed.

"D'you have a broom?" Ali asked Albus, who was surprised that the boy knew what Quidditch was.

"I do at home. I'll have to borrow James's owl or something to write to mum and dad and see if I can have it sent."

Scorpius's face darkened at the mention of James. "Your brother really doesn't like me" he said.

Albus sighed. He had expected that James wouldn't take well to Scorpius. He wasn't the type to forgive and forget, even if he hadn't been alive for what he was supposed to be forgiving. He had grown up hearing stories about Draco and his father, and for some reason it had gotten to him more than any of the others.

"I'll talk to James. He's just mad about your father. I don't know why. My dad seems to have forgiven him, but James . . .? Anyway, I'll explain about you. Rose will too, I bet. She seemed to like you" Albus said, turning to pick up his glass of pumpkin juice.

Disregarding it, Albus returned to his lunch. He noticed that the teachers were still missing from the staff table. They were probably just planning for their lessons. Probably.

The three friends talked and laughed. Albus's worries began to melt away.

Soon enough, the bell rang, and the trio of new friends stood up to join the queue leaving the Great Hall. It was time for potions. The problem was, they had no clue where it was. There wasn't a ghost in sight, and all of the other teachers seemed to have vanished.

"I think it's in the dungeons. Father mentions it every now and then" Scorpius said. He turned to walk to the staircase that led down to the Slytherin common room, but walked right into Rose, who was glaring at all three of them.

"So! You lot just thought you wouldn't tell me about all this, did you?" She growled and held up a large set of books that Albus recognized to be the wizard editions of the so-called 'Harry potter books'.

How she had found the library when the other three couldn't find their way to the right bathroom was a mystery. It was just like Rose, too.

"We are going to talk later," she snarled, all of her childlike wonder and fear gone.

"Rose, we all need to get to class!" Scorpius said in an attempt to calm her. It did seem to work slightly. Her expression softened as she looked at him, but it didn't last long. The angry look reappeared on her face again as fast as it had dissaparated. "It's the first day of school, I can afford to be late!" She said, just as the bell rang out to tell her that she was indeed.

She glared at them a second longer, then turned and stormed away. "See you in potions!" She shouted as she descended the stairs and out of sight.

The three stared at each other in wonder, and then horror as it dawned on them that they were alone with only a hint at where their class was.

"Umm, you said dungeon, yeah?" Albus said.

Scorpius grinned. "The safe word is 'pineapple' "he and Ali burst into laughter at the ice breaking joke.

"Shut up!" Albus said, although he was laughing along with them. He looked back at the two others, and froze. There was a cat staring at him from the doors to the Great Hall. It gazed at the three with lamp like eyes, then vanished with a swish of its tail.

"Guys, lets go!" Albus cried. Scorpius, who had been raised with his fathers school stories, also seemed to understand.

"That can't be her! She should be dead by now! HE should be dead by now!"

"Can we not wait to find out? Lets just go!" Albus said, tugging on Scorpius and Ali's wrists. They ran down the stairs into the dungeons.

"What's so bad about a cat?" Ali gasped, running to catch up with the two other boys.

"We need to sit you down soon and explain Hogwarts to you" Scorpius replied. "Wait, I think potions might be down this way!"

They turned down a corridor, which ended with an old wooded door. The boys stopped outside it, panting. Albus reached out and turned the handle. The door swung open to a classroom of first years taking notes. Up at the head of the class was professor Adama.

"I told you to be on time," he said, although his voice sounded bored, like he didn't care.

"Sorry, big castle!" Scorpius panted. Professor Adama smiled slightly at this, then gestured for the three to take their seats at an empty table near the back if the dim, torchlit chamber.

They hastened to obey, scooting past shelves with pickled things in dusty jars that almost glinted in the torchlight. They fell into the old chairs, at a table next to Rose, who was glaring determinately in away from them.

"Now, as I was saying. In this class, I will be teaching you to brew things that you could only dream of before. You will create your own fame, you will mix revenge, and you will boil life. I never was one for bragging or big pretty examples of magic. I just like to get the job done. However, for you, here and now, there will be an exception."

He paused, eyeing the slack jawed students now hanging onto his every word.

"I have with me a couple of small samples of the sorts of things that you will learn to brew. Allow me to demonstrate their Effects." The class as a whole leaned forwards, squinting through the dimness of the room to try and better see what the old professor was doing.

Adama shuffled over to his desk, on which sat a jar of frogs and 6 tiny vials, each filled with a different color of liquid.

The potions master reached in the jar and withdrew one of the frogs, then lifted the first vial from the table.

"The first of three. Let us watch." Only Scorpius seemed to get what the man was talking about with 'three'. There were clearly six bottles, Albus thought, then was pulled back to reality as Adama began to speak again.

"In first year you will make very simple and easy potions, such as a cure for boils, but you will be in my class for 6-7 years . . . unless you or I die. Therefore, I will present different levels of potion making to you, so that you may see the wonders of this class through time and practice."

With that, he popped the cork off the vial, and tipped the green liquid inside onto the frog. For a second, nothing happened. The students were looking slightly confused.

Adama smiled at them. "Just give it a second to seep in. Ah, there we go!"

The frog began to grow and change. It wasn't a major change, but it was still enough to get gasps from the first years.

The frog grew to twice its original size, and it took on a weathered look. It let out a low croak, causing a few kids to chuckle.

"Well, you must be real, living' first years if something like that excites you" Adama said. "Now, who knows what potion that was?"

Scorpius's hand just barely beat that of Rose, who looked at him as though unsure of wether to smile or glare. Adama nodded at Scorpius from the front of the room.

"Yes? Malfoy, is it?"

"Y-yes sir. Ah, that was an aging potion, I think" Scorpius responded shyly.

"And why do you say that, eh?" Asked professor Adama.

"Well, the green color, and the effect time, and the fact that the frog aged" Scorpius replied.

"Well done, son. Take five points to Gryffindor."

Adama turned back to the table, set down the now empty vial, and picked up a second one, which he poured on the frog.

"Counter-draughts," Scorpius whispered, "there are three potions and three reversal solutions, which is why there are six vials, but he only acknowledges three potions."

"Alright, now, the next two are much more advanced than an aging potion" Adama said, grasping the attention of the class.

He held up the frog, which was now back to normal, and snatched the second potion, which was clear, but moved like drying cement.

The contents of the small glass container were poured onto the frog, and almost immediately the potion started to work.

The frog inflated to the size of a party balloon, and an orange light shone through its skin. It began to smoke at the mouth, and loud cracks and bangs rang out through the classroom. Several of the boys let out small shrieks, although albus noticed several of the girls lean forwards to get a better look.

After a minuet, Adama picked up the solution that would revert the frog back to normal, applied it to the exploding frog, which slowly deflated.

"That potion there is really fun. You can slip a couple of drops into a friend's food to prank them. It's also a goid way to clear out the stomach if you swallow something you shouldn't have, although there are several better and more practical ways to do that. But this one is completely harmless. No pain at all!" he smiled at them, and then turned to the blackboard.

"Now, it's gonna be a long time before any of you are ready to make anything as difficult as that, and I need to explain the rules before you even so much as look at a cauldron" the professor said as he plopped the frog back in its jar.

It was lost on no one that the old man had left the last bottle untouched. Whether he had done it on purpose, or simply forgotten, they did not know, and it seemed they wouldn't find out, for Adama had gone blind to their eager, raised hands.

The rest of the lesson passed without any more extraordinary happenings, much to the disappointment of the first years. They took down notes about rules and what they were to learn until the bell rang.

"Farewell, my pupils. I shall see you on Tuesday. Try not to be late" Adama called as the chattering first years returned their parchment and quills to their bags.

"That was something," Ali said as the three left to head to Transfiguration. Rose rushed past them, clearly still determined not to talk to them . . . For now, at least.

"He's kinda odd, wouldn't you say?" Albus responded, speaking of Adama, and acting as though he hadn't noticed rose.

"Well, yeah, that's his thing. He's insane" came a voice from behind the three. Albus turned, smiling, to see Fred Weasley the second, a second year relative whom Albus had been hoping to find sooner or later. His darker skin and lack of red hair and freckles set him apart from most of the Weasley family, but no one really cared. He was alike in spirit and humor.

"Hi, Al. I see you've made some friends," he said, nodding at Ali and Scorpius. It was clear that he did not care that Scorpius was there, or that Albus and Ali were in Slytherin, a thing for which Albus was grateful.

"What d'you mean 'that's his thing'?" Scorpius asked, caught up in Fred's words about Adama.

"I have Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's on the way to Transfiguration . . .ish. That's where you three are going, right? Anyway, walk with me. Im Fred, by the way. nice to meet you too, Scorpius" the older boy responded, causing Albus's pale friend to go slightly red. Fred ignored this and answered Scorpius 's question.

"So Adama is great, but he's also crazy. I can't wait for my first lesson with him! Anyway, he's wacky, but in a good way. Says lots of redundancies, likes messing with people when they first meet him. He's also a genius! Brilliant with magic. He came to this school with high praise from Luna Scamander, which should tell you all you need to know about him. He doesn't believe in insane stuff like Luna, but he is quacked like her."

"Hang on! You haven't had him yet this year, and Adama's a new teacher. How do you know all that about him?" Scorpius asked, clearly interested in the subject.

"Well, he's a friend of the Scamander's, and so are my family. Plus, Adama was here a lot last year. He was a Sub for Slughorn, who was really old and always sick" Fred explained.

By that point they had reached an area of the castle that Albus, Ali, and Scorpius hadn't yet entered. Taking the lead, Fred took them up several staircases (they had to jump one step, as it wasn't really there and was meant to trap people), through a few trick doors, and down a corridor and a half. They at last stopped, panting, at a large door.

"Well get in! That's McGonagall's class!" Fred said, rolling his eyes before turning and dashing back down the corridor.

The three exchanged looks, then pushed into the room.

"Nearly late, Potter, Leonid, Malfoy" came the strict voice of Minerva McGonagall just as the bell rang.

The three trooped over to a desk in the middle of the room. Albus could feel McGonagall's piercing gaze follow him to his seat.

Launching straight onto her subject, McGonagall began speaking. "Ahem. I am your Transfigurations teacher, pro-" she paused. The door had opened and two first year boys ran in, panting. They saw McGonagall, gulped, and sloped off to a pair of empty seats.

"Next time, ask for directions. Maybe then you'll be on time. And five points from Gryffindor," McGonagall's nostrils flared as she spoke. To Albus, it seemed like she was too upset over something so little. He knew she was strict, but this seemed an overreaction.

"Now, I am professor McGonagall, your Transfiguration teacher" the which with the tight, white bun of hair began once more. "In this class, you will learn about the art and magic of transformation," she shook her head slightly, as though she thought the class a waste of time, which made what she said next have less of an impact than it would have otherwise.

"Transfiguration is magic so complex and dangerous that it goes above anything else you learn at this school. That's not to say that your other classes are not important, but it does say that anyone I find not taking this class seriously or who is messing about will be kicked out before they can say 'animagus'". Albus and Scorpius exchanged a glance, eyebrows raised, then turned back to the lecture.

"As you no doubt know from similar speeches in your earlier classes, it will be a long time before you get to the level of Transfiguration that your imaginations no doubt want to start at," she flinched her wand, turning her desk into a large, hairy pig and back, eliciting 'oooohhhs' of awe. And several claps from the class.

"Now, as we have a double period, we have time to go over class notices as well as begin our first true lesson," McGonagall said. Everyone sat up, eyeing her with curiosity. They were all eager to do, or attempt to do, more magic, no matter how small.

And so it was that they sat through the first half of the double period listening to McGonagall explain rules and safety, holding out for the practical part of the lesson to begin.

Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting, it was time. McGonagall took out her wand, erased the blackboard, and wrote upon it what looked to Albus like a formula.

"This is the base for most Transfiguration work. It is a formula, or equation, to balance weight, viciousness, wand power, concentration, and an unknown variable." Albus grinned slightly at guessing correctly, then frowned. Why did magic have math formulas? But he felt like he could do whatever it was, and the uncertainty sank away deep into his mind.

McGonagall took them through how to use the formula, which Albus and Scorpius found easy, and Ali found only slightly difficult. When they had that figured out, McGonagall produced a box of matches that they were to change into needles.

"I don't expect any of you to have any hint of success at this today," McGonagall told them as she passed the matches out, "this is your first lesson on your first day, and most of you have never done more than pick up a wand before. But it's still best to start and to try."

Albus accepted his match from her thin, wrinkled fingers. He looked up, and saw that she looked back at him with the same look of concern she had worn at the sorting, only this time it seemed to be mixed with frustration and confusion.

McGonagall broke eye contact and swept away to the next table, leaving Albus feeling concerned, confused, and frustrated himself. He began to think about why he had been put in Slytherin again, but was interrupted by Ali, who snapped his fingers in front of Albus's face.

"Hey, Al, magic, remember?"

Albus shook himself slightly. The negative feelings were once more fading away. Albus smiled at his two friends, then pulled out his wand.

"So, should we all try, or take turns, or . . .?" Began Albus, but Scorpius grinned at him and answers his question.

"We've all got wands, and we each have a match, so have at!"

Grinning, the trio started trying to turn the small sticks before them into sharp metal.

Albus was thoroughly enjoying himself. He could imagine himself flicking his wand and being the first to succeed. Of course, he did not expect that to happen soon, if ever, but it was still a nice thought.

"Focus!", came the voice in his head. Smiling slightly, Albus took his own advice, and began concentrating on the match. He flicked his wand.

Nothing happened. He tried it again, but got the same result. Ten tries later, still nothing. What was he missing besides experience?

"I'm such an idiot! I forgot the formula!" Albus groaned out loud when the realization struck him.

"You and me" Scorpius responded, smiling and patting Albus on the back.

Albus returned the smile, then turned back to his work. He thought the formula through, then concentrated, and flicked his wand.

"Al! Blimey! Look, you did it!"

—

Hey guys! Thanks for reading. This chapter was a bit long, and I'm sorry about how not much and too much happens in it. I did drop a lot(ish) of plot, but all in all this was just a filler chapter.

I'm sure some of you are wondering why McGonagall seemed so odd in this chapter. I swear that its not bad writting (at least, not on purpose. Im sure there is a lot of that anyway, though), and there is a reason for it.

Chapter 8 will be out very soon, and more stuff should happen then. I am trying to make my chapters longer due to popular(ish) request and the fact that I need to have more plot in them. After chapter 8/9 the plot, action, and the story should start to pick up and move faster and smoother.

Please share and review. If you have any questions/comments/concerns/criticisms, just ask. I do read them (in the reviews or through PM's), and I do respond to them.


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